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Notch

Craft Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A notch is a small recurring mark that records a pattern, count, or return within a poem.

Detailed Definition
A notch may be a repeated word, punctuation mark, short line, image, or metrical accent that helps readers measure the poem’s progress. Individually minor, notches become significant through accumulation. A sequence of numbered losses, for example, can turn simple repetitions into a record of mourning. The poet can vary the depth or position of each notch to show change while preserving recognition. This technique creates structure without requiring an overt refrain or announced scheme.
Example
Example in poetry:
A notch is a small interruption or distinctive cut in a poem’s pattern, such as one unexpectedly short line in a regular stanza; A poet may create a notch in the rhythm with a blunt monosyllable after several flowing phrases; A repeated dash can function as a visual notch that interrupts a sentence and marks hesitation; In a narrative poem, a sudden two-line stanza can notch the surrounding description with emotional emphasis
Additional Notes
A notch is a small repeated feature that marks a poem’s progress or structure. It might be a recurring word, line break, sound, image, indentation, or counted unit. Notches can guide readers through returns and variations without announcing a formal pattern. When revising, ask whether each notch develops, changes, or merely repeats its earlier function. Related concepts include refrain, motif, tally, and incremental repetition.
Also Known As
Nick Indentation dent
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